Letter 711

To the same person. He who does not couple unclean thoughts together, nor agrees and is carried along with the multitude of absurdity, will plainly pass his life carefree and untroubled, by himself. For it says, "Because you, O Lord, have made me to dwell alone in hope" [Psalm 4:9, Septuagint]. Therefore God says concerning such a man: "He shall dwell by himself, and shall have no care, and a son of lawlessness shall not proceed to afflict him," just as from the beginning [it was said], "I will give you rest from all your enemies" [cf. 2 Samuel 7:11]; and the Lord will declare to you that you shall build him a house, and, "I will not take away my mercy, as I took it away from those from whom I took it away" [cf. 2 Samuel 7:13-15].

Ὁ μὴ συνδυάζων λογισμοὺς ἀκαθάρτους, μηδὲ συμφωνῶν καὶ συμφερόμενος τῷ πλήθει τῆς ἀτοπίας, δῆλον, ὅτι ἄφροντις καὶ ἀμέριμνος καθ' ἑαυτὸν διάξει. «Ὅτι σύ, Κύριε, φησὶ, κατὰ μόνας ἐπ' ἐλπίδι κατῴκησάς με· Διὰ λέγει ὁ θεὸς περὶ τοῦ τοιούτου· Κατασκηνώσει καθ' ἑαυτὸν, καὶ οὐ μεριμνήσει, καὶ υἱὸς ἀνομίας οὐ προσθήσει τοῦ κακῶσαι αὐτὸν, » καθὼς ἀπ' ἀρχῆς, « ἀναπαύσω σε ἀπὸ πάντων ἐχθρῶν σου, » καὶ ἀπαγγελεῖ σοι Κύριος, ὅτι οἶκον οἰκοδομήσεις αὐτῷ, καὶ « οὐκ ἀποστήσω τὸ ἔλεός μου, καθὼς ἀπέστησα, ἀφ' ὧν ἀπέστησα. »